Setting expectations - questions for experienced DE shavers

[BigJ]

It depends on your goals and what makes you happy.

For me, BBS is not something to ‘chase.’ It occurs when everything just aligns: good prep, fine lather, optimal blade (for example today’s lab blue took a few shaves to ’settle in’), plus the stars align. I have had three this week (very very unusual!!) But most every other shave has been DFS+. A great week!!

 

[T Bone]

Sorry I totally missunderstood your question about BBS.

No worries, my bad, I wasn't clear.

You can do a lot better than VDH or C.O.B. Some members here might suggest them, but IME, they are bottom of the barrel.

VDH came from a list on Sharpologist I found before I signed up here. Not sure where I saw COB. Clubman Pinaud was suggested here, but I notice you didn't include that as bottom of the barrel. Anyway, thanks, I'll definitely look around here for slick soap recos.

 

[Korg]

This is a Zen thing, don’t chase it and it will come to you

On the other hand going through my journal I get mostly DFS/DFS+ with a BBS every 6th to 7th shave thrown in.

Caveat, I’m pretty lazy on my neck and this spoils most BBS attempts.

Wait, you keep a journal of your shaves?

What does this look like exactly? What data points and how do you keep it organized?

 

[Multum in parvo]

Wait, you keep a journal of your shaves?

What does this look like exactly? What data points and how do you keep it organized?

Super basic stuff…
Date/Razor/soap/Blade & usage/result/notes if any:

11/20 Slim Twist, Vitos Extra Super Coco, King C. Gillette (6), DFS, blade retired

A simple paper journal and every month or event (Tabactober) gets a headline.

 

[Multum in parvo]

and the corresponding pic

 

[Korg]

I love the feeling of a nice smooth shave. That's main reason why I stick with my DE razor and try new blades and products. A perfect 10/10 for me would be BBS with zero nicks, weepers, irritation, or missed areas. Ideally I'd want that every time, but that's obviously unrealistic, especially as a relative noob. I can get a CCS with no weepers and minimal irritation if I skip going ATG. Or if I go ATG, I can get (depending on the blade) a BBS or DFS, but with a few or lots of weepers, varying degrees of irritation, and usually but not always still imperfect on either side of my Adam's apple.

So what I'm wondering, from experienced DE shavers, is how often you're able to achieve an irritation-free BBS shave? 90% of the time? 10%? What's a reasonable expectation for when I get good at this? How long (weeks/months/years) did it take you to get to that point? And how much time does a typical shave take? (For all this I mean when you put the time into doing it right, not the days when you have to just get it done quick to get to work or whatever.)

Finally, how much of it is the products you use (razor, blade, cream/soap, brush) versus just technique? Obviously technique is important, I'd like to think I'm better than when I started, but certainly have some ways to go. I'm not likely to buy another razor any time soon unless there's a good case to be made that my Henson is what's holding me back. I've tried 8 different blades and have been surprised that I could tell quite a difference, mostly with irritation/weepers but also with closeness. I've only tried a couple of creams so far and am thinking about what to buy next, but don't want to put too much effort there if that's just a marginal difference.

That's more questions than I planned when I started typing, but thanks in advance!

T-Bone !

I know this thread is a few days old already but I just found it ha! We might have had some of these convos on your alum block post already.

Anyway, my mustache area always bled when I first started shaving with a DE Safety razor. It doesn’t happen anymore, more than likely because my technique got better and my face got use to shaving with a DE razor. I think within the first few months that issue started to subside. I also knew that was a rough area for me to shave so I took my time in that area.

As far as a BBS shave, to me, I feel like I achieve them often, on certain areas of my face

My neck area is the pain in the butt and still to this day I still have issues shaving my neck area with varying degrees of success. My last shave I did not do well on my neck at all.

I usually spend about 30ish minutes shaving. Sometimes shorter, sometimes longer.

I do three passes. WTG, XTG and then ATG. I’ve been doing this type of shave since I’ve started and I don’t really chase a BBS. I just shave to get my whiskers shaved off nice and close, the BBS parts of my face are just a nice bonus

It’s late and my whole reply is prob a bunch of rambling gobbly goop with no real sense or direction

Happy Thanksgiving.

 

[Korg]

Super basic stuff…
Date/Razor/soap/Blade & usage/result/notes if any:

11/20 Slim Twist, Vitos Extra Super Coco, King C. Gillette (6), DFS, blade retired

A simple paper journal and every month or event (Tabactober) gets a headline.

Is there a thread somewhere giving good definitions and potentially with pictures on the different shave closeness’s in terms of what a SAS, CCS, BBS will look like, feel like, etc?

 

[Multum in parvo]

Is there a thread somewhere giving good definitions and potentially with pictures on the different shave closeness’s in terms of what a SAS, CCS, BBS will look like, feel like, etc?

The second Sticky in the Shave Clinic

Abbreviations

Here is a list of abbreviations and acronyms used on B&B. For special words and phrases, see the glossary (https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/wiki/glossary) page. (https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/wiki/Abbreviations#top)

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[McBlade]

Straight razors really taught me how to shave. The skin-stretching techniques generally aren't so important with DE razors but might really help you avoid nicks & irritation with an ATG pass.

The older you get, and the looser you skin gets, the more you gain from skin-stretching.

 

[T Bone]

T-Bone !

I know this thread is a few days old already but I just found it ha! We might have had some of these convos on your alum block post already.

Anyway, my mustache area always bled when I first started shaving with a DE Safety razor. It doesn’t happen anymore, more than likely because my technique got better and my face got use to shaving with a DE razor. I think within the first few months that issue started to subside. I also knew that was a rough area for me to shave so I took my time in that area.

As far as a BBS shave, to me, I feel like I achieve them often, on certain areas of my face

My neck area is the pain in the butt and still to this day I still have issues shaving my neck area with varying degrees of success. My last shave I did not do well on my neck at all.

I usually spend about 30ish minutes shaving. Sometimes shorter, sometimes longer.

I do three passes. WTG, XTG and then ATG. I’ve been doing this type of shave since I’ve started and I don’t really chase a BBS. I just shave to get my whiskers shaved off nice and close, the BBS parts of my face are just a nice bonus

It's not that old, I appreciate the reply. I certainly don't expect perfection after 3 month, but an occasional DFS without the
weepers would be nice. Reading posts and watching review videos, it seems like it comes so easy, but realistically, nobody's going to post about their mediocre shave this morning, so I got to wondering, well, all the stuff in the OP. Actually, reading the Feather/Kai challenge thread has helped too, since everyone posts their results, good or bad.

I used to shave in like 5 minutes with a cartridge, since I'd just do 1 pass WTG or XTG. No ATG with the cart - ouch!!! With a DE, it's been taking more like 20 or so for 3 passes. Wasn't sure if that could come down once I got better, or if I need to actually spend more time than that even.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Same to you!

 

[Korg]

It's not that old, I appreciate the reply. I certainly don't expect perfection after 3 month, but an occasional DFS without the
weepers would be nice. Reading posts and watching review videos, it seems like it comes so easy, but realistically, nobody's going to post about their mediocre shave this morning, so I got to wondering, well, all the stuff in the OP. Actually, reading the Feather/Kai challenge thread has helped too, since everyone posts their results, good or bad.

I used to shave in like 5 minutes with a cartridge, since I'd just do 1 pass WTG or XTG. No ATG with the cart - ouch!!! With a DE, it's been taking more like 20 or so for 3 passes. Wasn't sure if that could come down once I got better, or if I need to actually spend more time than that even.


Same to you!

I could prob get my shave done quicker, but I enjoy the routine so I tend to take my time and enjoy the shave.

I really only shave once a week and it’s on my day off, so I have time to relax and have fun. I don’t have a job where I need to be cleaned shaved and I’m just lazy. I may toss in an extra shave during the week here and there but lately that’s rare.

I just think in general it’s better to give yourself the time and not fly through it.

 

[Running With Scissors]

How often do I get a BBS shave......I'd say 90% of my shaves finish with a shave that's as close as I'm going to get to perfect, and the other 10% I'm not trying for a close shave. That being said ...my best shaves (by my own subjective opinion), are never absolutely perfect, ..I'm delighted with 9.9 /10. I feel all the elements...a good lather, blade, razor, prep, post shave are important, if one is bad, I'll stop, and change it, mid shave (that's most often a blade I'm not liking). IMHO, technique with the razor, and with making a good lather are the 2 things a beginner (most likely) needs to work hardest on.